Main Street stabbing suspect to appear in court later this month

A 25-year-old Mount Pleasant man will appear in Isabella County Trial Court Jan. 23 for a plea/settlement conference after being jailed on $1 million bond following arraignment after the fatal stabbing of 20-year-old Tyrone Dean Stanley.

Curtis R. Leachman, of 112 S. Main St. apartment A, was charged with open murder as well as witness intimidation after police say he threatened witnesses outside a Main Street apartment. Open murder carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, while witness intimidation is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Leachman yawned during his Nov. 26 arraignment and told Judge William R. Rush his bond doesn’t matter because he doesn’t have any money, according to the Associated Press.

Leachman alleges he never threatened any witnesses.

“During the arraignment, Leachman asked for and was granted a court appointed attorney from the Isabella County Public Defenders’ Office,” Isabella County Prosecutor Risa Scully said in a news release.

Leachman was previously on probation in 2009 for two years following Home invasion of the third degree as well as breaking and entering a building with intent.

In 2011, he violated his probation after a third offense of domestic violence. Leachman was no longer on probation as of Sept. 5.

As previously reported by Central Michigan Life, Stanley died from a stab wound at an apartment in the 100 block of S. Main St. around 4 a.m. Nov. 24, according to a news release from the Mount Pleasant Police Department. Stanley was transported to McLaren-Central Michigan Hospital, 1221 S. Drive, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Isabella County Sheriff Leo Mioduszewski said the sheriff’s department victim services assisted at the scene by notifying Stanley’s family of his death.

“It’s unfortunate these situations are happening,” Mioduszewski said. “It seems like over the past couple years, there’s been two to three homicides a year. It’s tragic. I hate to see it here around Central Michigan.”